[Tropical] Hurricane Local Statement

[EMWIN Server]

WTUS82 KCHS 311032
HLSCHS
AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-
042>045-047>051-311500-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
605 AM EDT THU AUG 31 2006

...ERNESTO STRENGTHENING OFF THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA COAST...
...WINDS INCREASING ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA COASTS...

...NEW INFORMATION...
THE POSITION AND INTENSITY OF ERNESTO HAS BEEN UPDATED. WIND
FORECASTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED. IMPACTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM ALTAMAHA SOUND TO
THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER ENTRANCE. THIS INCLUDES CHATHAM...BRYAN...
LIBERTY AND MCINTOSH COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...AND
CHARLESTON...COLLETON...BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES IN SOUTH
CAROLINA...INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING MEANS TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS.
PORTIONS OF THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE
GEORGIA COAST...MAY BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY.

AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR DORCHESTER
AND BERKELEY COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM THIS
EVENING.

A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHARLESTON...BERKELEY AND
DORCHESTER COUNTY UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 AM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 30.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.2 WEST...OR ABOUT 195 MILES SOUTH
OF CHARLESTON. THIS IS ABOUT 150 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH AND 165
MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF BEAUFORT.

ERNESTO IS MOVING TO THE NORTH NEAR 15 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TO
THE NORTH NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY WITH AN INCREASE IN
SPEED. ERNESTO WILL REMAIN OVER THE ATLANTIC FOR MUCH OF THE DAY AND
IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE GEORGETOWN COUNTY COAST THIS EVENING...
PASSING JUST EAST OF DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON THIS AFTERNOON. ON THIS
TRACK...ERNESTO WILL PASS VERY CLOSE TO OR OVER CAPE ROMAIN BY THE
LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH.
ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY BEFORE LANDFALL.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ALL PREPARATIONS FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION THIS MORNING.

A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION CONTINUES FOR PEOPLE IN CHARLESTON AND
COLLETON COUNTIES WHO LIVE IN VULNERABLE AREAS SUCH AS LOW LYING
AREAS...BARRIER ISLANDS OR MOBILE HOMES. FOR ADDITIONAL EVACUATION
INFORMATION CONTACT THE CHARLESTON COUNTY CITIZEN INFORMATION
HOTLINE AT 843-202-7100...OR THE SPANISH HOTLINE AT 843-202-7191.
FOR INFORMATION IN COLLETON COUNTY CALL 843-549-5632.

THE CHARLESTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL CEASE ALL AIRCRAFT
OPERATIONS AT 9 AM EDT AND THE AIRPORT TERMINAL WILL CLOSE AT 11 AM
EDT.

THE COAST GUARD HAS SET PORT CONDITION YANKEE FOR THE CHARLESTON
HARBOR. PORT CONDITION YANKEE RESTRICTS VESSEL MOVEMENT INBOUND AND
OUTBOUND IN THE HARBOR. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO PLANS TO UPGRADE TO
CONDITION ZULU AT THIS TIME.

FOR SCHOOL CLOSURE INFORMATION...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICT.

...STORM SURGE AND STORM TIDE...
A STORM SURGE OF 1 TO 2 FEET IS EXPECTED FROM EDISTO BEACH NORTHWARD
ALONG THE CHARLESTON COUNTY COAST...RESULTING IN STORM TIDES OF 7 TO
8 FEET. THESE LEVELS WILL PRODUCE MINOR TO MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING
OF THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND AREAS AROUND THE CHARLESTON HARBOR. AT
THIS TIME...THE HIGHEST SURGE POTENTIAL WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS
NORTHEAST CHARLESTON COUNTY NEAR THE BULLS BAY...CAPE ROMAIN AND
MCCLELLANVILLE AREAS. FROM EDISTO BEACH SOUTH TO THE ALTAMAHA
RIVER...INCLUDING THE BEAUFORT...HILTON HEAD AND SAVANNAH AREAS...
OFFSHORE WINDS WILL KEEP STORM SURGE VALUES LESS THAN 1 FOOT.

...WINDS...
WINDS ARE SLOWLY INCREASING ALONG THE COAST THIS MORNING. REPORTS
FROM FOLLY BEACH...TYBEE ISLAND...AND THE GRAYS REEF BUOY SOUTH OF
SAVANNAH INDICATE WINDS ARE GUSTING UP TO 30 MPH AT TIMES ALONG THE
IMMEDIATE COAST...INCLUDING DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON. WINDS WILL CONTINUE
TO INCREASE TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING
AS ERNESTO APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH.

WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH ALONG THE
NORTH GEORGIA COAST THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY
AFTERNOON HOURS...AFTER WHICH WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE. FOR
SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA...INCLUDING BEAUFORT AND COASTAL
COLLETON COUNTIES...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH
OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 45 MPH TODAY. IN CHARLESTON COUNTY...WINDS OF 30
TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE LIKELY...WITH THE HIGHEST
SUSTAINED WINDS BEING CONFINED TO THE COASTAL AREAS NORTH OF KIAWAH
ISLAND TO MCCLELLANVILLE. SINCE ERNESTO WILL CONTINUE OVER THE
ATLANTIC FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING WILL LIKELY
OCCUR AS IT APPROACHES THE GEORGETOWN COUNTY COAST. WINDS WILL BEGIN
TO SUBSIDE ACROSS SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA THIS EVENING.

MOTORISTS...ESPECIALLY THOSE DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...SHOULD
USE EXTREME CAUTION ON ELEVATED BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES TODAY AS
DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS AT TIMES. BE AWARE THAT
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS MAY CLOSE BRIDGE ACCESS POINTS AT
ANY TIME WHEN WINDS REACH TROPICAL STORM FORCE.

...INLAND FLOODING...
RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH THE STORM ARE EXPECTED TO BE 1 TO 3 INCHES IN
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...WITH 3 TO 5 INCHES IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
HOWEVER...LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER
DORCHESTER...BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE CHARLESTON TRI-COUNTY AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING.

...TORNADOES...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AS
ERNESTO APPROACHES TODAY. THE RISK FOR TORNADOES WILL BE THE
GREATEST EAST OF A BEAUFORT TO MONCKS CORNER LINE. REMEMBER THAT
TORNADOES CAN FORM WITH LITTLE TO NO ADVANCED NOTICE DURING TROPICAL
STORMS. REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

...INLAND WIND IMPACTS...
WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ACROSS
HAMPTON AND INLAND COLLETON COUNTIES TODAY AS ERNESTO PASSES TO THE
EAST OF THE AREA. WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE
EXPECTED TO OCCUR OVER BERKELEY COUNTY AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF
DORCHESTER COUNTY. THIS INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF SUMMERVILLE...
MONCKS CORNER AND DANIEL ISLAND. WINDS COULD BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER AT
DANIEL ISLAND. FOR AREAS WEST OF AN ALLENDALE TO PEMBROKE TO
LUDOWICI LINE...INCLUDING STATESBORO...METTER...MILLEN AND
REIDSVILLE...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

CONDITIONS ON LAKE MOULTRIE WILL DETERIORATE TODAY. WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 30 TO 40 KNOTS...PARTICULARLY IN THE OPEN LAKE WATERS.
THE RESULTING LARGE WAVE ACTION FROM THESE WINDS MAY CAUSE DOCK AND
PIER DAMAGE AROUND THE LAKESHORE...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
HALF OF THE LAKE. SOME LAKESHORE FLOODING MAY ALSO OCCUR IN THESE
AREAS.

...RIP CURRENT IMPACTS...
THERE IS A HIGH OF RIP CURRENTS THURSDAY ALONG THE SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. A HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK MEANS
THAT WIND AND OR WAVE CONDITIONS SUPPORT PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS. RIP CURRENTS ARE LIFE THREATENING TO ANYONE ENTERING THE
SURF. YOU ARE STRONGLY URGED NOT TO GO INTO THE WATER. HEED THE
ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS
AND POSTED SIGNS.

...HIGH SURF/BEACH EROSION IMPACTS...
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST
WITH AREAS OF SEVERE EROSION EXPECTED IN CHARLESTON COUNTY.
LOCALIZED SEVERE BEACH EROSION IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN EROSION PRONE
AREAS SUCH AS HUNTING ISLAND AND EDISTO BEACH. ONLY MINOR TO
MODERATE BEACH EROSION IS EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTH GEORGIA COAST.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AROUND 9 AM...OR SOONER IF
CONDITIONS WARRANT.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO CAN BE FOUND IN
ADVISORIES ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AND SHORT TERM
FORECASTS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE.

$$

ST




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